 | The Two Noble Kinsmen |  |
Scena Quarta.
A Battel struck within: then a Retreat: Florish. Then Enter Theseus (victor) the three Queens meet him, and fall on their faces before him.1. Qu.
To thee no Star be dark.
2. Qu.
Both Heaven and Earth
Friend thee for ever.
3. Qu.
All the good that may
Be wish'd upon thy head, I cry Amen to't.
Thes.
Th'impartial gods, who from the mounted heavens
View us their mortal Herd, behold who erre,
And in their time chastise: goe and find out
The bones of your dead Lords, and honor them
With treble ceremony, rather than a gap
Should be in their dear rights, we would supply't.
But those we will depute, which shall invest
You in your dignities, and even each thing
Our haste does leave imperfect; So adieu
And heavens good eyes look on you, what are those?
Exeunt Queens.
Herald.
Men of great quality, as may be judg'd
By their appointment; some of Thebs have told's
They are Sisters children, Nephews to the King.
Thes.
By th'Helme of Mars, I saw them in the War,
Like to a pair of Lions, smear'd with prey,
Make lanes in troops agast. I fixt my note
Constantly on them; for they were a mark
Worth a god's view: what prisoner was't that told me
When I enquir'd their names?
Herald.
We leave, they'r called
Arcite and Palamon,
Thes.
'Tis right, those, those
They are not dead?
Three Hearses ready.
Her.
Nor in a state of life, had they been taken
When their last hurts were given, 'twas possible
They might have been recover'd; Yet they breathe
And have the name of men.
Thes.
Then like men use 'em
The very lees of such (millions of rates)
Exceed the Wine of others, all our Surgeons
Convent in their behoof, our richest balmes
Rather than niggard waste, their lives concern us,
Much more than Thebs is worth, rather than have 'em
Freed of this plight, and in their morning state
(Sound and at liberty) I would 'em dead,
But forty thousand sold, we had rather have 'em
Prisoners to us, than death, bear 'em speedily
From our kind air, to them unkind, and minister
What man to man may do for our sake more,
Since I have known frights, fury, friends, beheasts,
Loves, provocations, zeal, a Mistriss taske,
Desire of liberty, a feavor, madness,
Hath set a mark which nature could not reach too
Without some imposition, sickness in Will
Or wrestling strength in reason, for our Love
And great Apollos mercy, all our best,
Their best skills tender. Lead into the City,
Where having bound things scatter'd, we will post.
Florish.
To Athens for our Army.
Exeunt.
Musick.
| The Two Noble Kinsmen | |